Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-03-22
HOPE FOR IRELAND.
BISHOP xxAxYs rRrBurx 10 The
ISLE OF SAINTS.
Centuries Of Glory and Ages Of Oppression
and Dssolstion- Dawn Of
New Day.

A Rome special Of Sunday to the
New York Herald says: Since Bishop
Ryan preached in St Salvatore, three
years ago, no sermon has been heard
in the English tongue approaching IN
eloquence that which Bishop Keane
delivered in the Church OF the Irish
Franciscans to-day in honor OF St.
Patrick little church which is usually
abandoned to brown obed monks. The
few Irish residents here wore quite n
holiday attire. Red-and-white drapery
dangled lazily in the warm sunshine
over the entrance gate. Over the high
altar vas the great painting of St.
Patrick. The pulpit and the chapels
were brightly hung with gold and
crimson. Every seat was filed. chiefly
with Americans and Irish. As the
Bishop entered he knelt in prayer for q
few minutes and then assembled the
steps of the pulpit.
THE SERMON.
He took his text from Galatians /:
"God forbid that / should glory save
in the cross Of our Lord Jesus Christ. +"
He paused for moment, and then he
began in quiet tones
Spiritual work, said the preacher, is
higher than physical work soul work
is nobler than mere mind work I; the
conversion of soul from spiritual
death to q spiritual life was greater
achievement than raising dead body.
In the history Of the conversion Of ma
tons nothing could be compared TO the
Irish. The key to the whole strange
history of poor Erin was to be found
in the biography Of st. Patrick.
Again the Bishop paused, as though
to gather up his thoughts.
They tell us, be continued, that
when his work was nearly done, when
his head had grown white as snow by
nearly one hundred years of labor, God
led him to mountain, where, like, yet
unlike, the mother of James and John,
he prayed that TO the end of time Erin
might be nearest TO Jesus crucifed, and
God promised.
ERr's GLORY.
Then, slightly raising his voice with
curious felicity, the preacher reminded
his spellbound hearers of the glorious
history OF Erin during three troubled
centuries, "when the island Of saints
was the centre of Christian learning, q
haven and refuge to nations but on
her." be continued, "burst at last the
food of barbaric invasion, desecrating
her sanctuaries, closing her schools,
turning her pens into swords, rending
her garments, effecting her transfigura-
ton" Here, raising to the Hottest
heights OF rhetoric, he exclaimed:
God chose for His sons the greatest
empire of the world God chose for
crucifxion His own son. Erin was the
mightiest empire seen since the time Of
Augustus.
HER SORROW AND DEsoLATIoN.
AS he proceeded the preachers elo-
quence grew more imprisoned; there
were sebs in his voice as he spoke Of the
sorrow and desolation of Ireland, of the
opprobrium and contempt that had
been heaped upon her. She had been
buffeted, held up as fool she was a
leper even, as one struck by God.
Jesus lay three days in his tomb, to rise
again. Erin, too, has laid in her tomb
for three days, each one Q century OF
woe. "But," he added, continuing the
splendid parallel, "the dawn of her
Easter-morn has come, slowly but
surely, and that light goes on expand
ing. Already the trumpet Of the Lord
proclaims her resurrection. Arise, thou
that sleepest The imperial seal OF
Caesar is still on Erin but what can il
avail against the behests OF the Most
High against the justice, the mercy,
and the power Of God ?"
IRELAND's MOTTO.
In his peroration he was less happy.
That part of the sermon Of the Bishop
grew trife lurid. In praying that
freedom, peace, prosperity, and glory
might be restored to ireland he ex-
claimed "Ged forbid that she should
ever sigh for tinsel crowns, whitening
garlands, gaudy toys in this world
May her peace be the peace of good
will and national fraternity, not selfish
patriotism her glory not the glory OF
Pluto or Mars May she stand close
to the cross with the mother, Mary, and
st. John, prominent in loyalty to the
end May her motto be, Forever God
forbid that she should glory save in the
cross of the Lord !"
CARDINAL GIBBONS DINsD.
This afternoon dinner was given in
honor of Cardinal Gibbons in the re-
fectory of the American College. Car
dinal Taschereau, who leaves Rome to-
night, and Bishops Keane, Ireland, and
Watterson, and q number of Roman
prelates and the heads of several semi
naries were among the guests. The
table was fragrant with the perfume OF
countless bouquets sent by American
residents. At the close of the dinner
there was the usual speech-making.
Cardinal Gibbons paid his oratorical
tribute like the rest. There was gene
raj regret expressed when ecclesiastical
I,,t,- hrnGa ~. Tho ,nortxr